Britain has warned of a specific threat to westerners in Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland.

Britain's Foreign Office did not give specific details about the nature of the threat, but a statement released Sunday, noted the danger of "kidnapping for financial or political gain, motivated by criminality or terrorism".

The warning comes just days after Britain, Germany and the Netherlands warned of a "specific and imminent threat" to their citizens in the Libyan city of Benghazi.

Somaliland, a former British colony, broke away from Somalia in 1991. It is not recognized by any other nation as an independent community.